With the Major League Soccer SuperDraft now complete, Hook n Ladders is prepared to come back from its own offseason. The next couple posts will review what has happened since our break. First up, our International Signings

We've heard the Marco Pappa rumors a number of times before. We first posted them during the waning days of the summer transfer window, and at one point we even posted that there was speculation out there that a deal had been done to sell Marco Pappa to FC Twente. Obviously that rumor was false, and Pappa finished out the 2011 campaign with the Fire, turning it on a bit down the stretch. Once the summer transfer window closed and Pappa was still in a Fire kit, I believed it would be his last season at Toyota Park. I wrote numerous times about how I thought he would leave for Europe during the winter, and the Fire would be rewarded a handsome transfer fee for him. I continue to maintain that if Pappa left this club we would be alright, he is not the guy who was to do it all anymore, and we have plenty of quality players on the pitch.

Last week we wrote yet again that FC Twente had contacted the Fire again to discuss the availability of Pappa's services, and once again Fire supporters everywhere braced for the moment when the club announced that the midfielder had been sold to another club. But hold on, because according to Frank Klopas, he hasn't had any contact from the league of FC Twente about Pappa. Sam Stejskal had the opportunity to talk to Klopas yesterday and he claims that there is no discussion about a possible move, whatsoever.

In preparation for the MLS Re-Entry Draft, the Chicago Fire have announced that the options of Jon Conway, Alec Dufty, and Baggio Husidic were not exercised. The Re-Entry Draft is the first of a few drafts that basically consitute how players are moved during the MLS off-season. Fans should prepare for tons of player movement the next few weeks.

Big thanks to Guillermo over at Fire Confidential for bringing this Goal Latino report (article is in spanish) to the attention of Fire fans. The article states there are ongoing negotiations between FC Twente and the Fire over Marco Pappa. It seems the sticking point between the clubs is the transfer fee for Pappa. The Fire value Pappa at over a million euros but Twente want a price below that. The "Marco Pappa going to Europe" rumors are not new but Twente's interest in him has been in nearly every rumor for the last few months.

One of the big headlines last week, besides Sepp Blatter's latest debacle, was the announcement of the LA Galaxy signing a new TV deal. The deal is believed to be worth $55 million over 10 years. To put this into perspective, NBC Sports recently signed a deal with the entire league for $30 million over 3 years. Reactions to the deal seem mixed amongst fans and journalists. Some say the deal goes to show the strength of the league. Others say this will just lead to an even wider competitive advantage for the Galaxy. I do not think it is that simple to brand this deal in those camps.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of holiday season for many people across the United States. Families will gather round the TV to watch some NFL action and then will sit down together and enjoy a large meal with their loved ones. Before they dive into their various dishes, many families will go around the table and say what they are most thankful for. It is in this spirit that I am going to give you a few of the many things I'm thankful for - Chicago Fire 2011 edition.

Here we go. The Fire have announced which players will be protected for the expansion draft. In case you didn't know, the Montreal Impact will be joining MLS as the 19th team in 2012. The new club will have the opportunity to draft 10 players from the current 18 teams (although no more than 1 player from any given team) in order to be competitive in its inaugural year. Luckily, each team can "protect" 11 of its players from being taken by Montreal. So, back to business: who did the Fire protect?

Rumors of the Fire signing another Mexican international were met with a variety of opinions. Many shared uneasy feelings, still reeling from the 'Nery Castillo' experience. As an avid Mexican National Team fan, I knew the Castillo signing was going to be a gamble. A gamble that did not end well for the Fire. Supporters wanted a solid player, not just a marketing ploy to tap into Chicago's Mexican population. When news leaked out that Pavel Pardo was the target, all those feelings disappeared for me.

In a thick fog, much like that the night of the U.S. Open Cup Qualifier in Peoria, the USMNT finally seemed to get the attacking style that was expected of a Jurgen Klinsman team. Lacking an attacker that can create and score by himself consistently, the USMNT was able to benefit from an extra attacker and was quickly able to push the ball forward scoring their first goal in just the 9th minute. After only scoring 2 goals in their first 6 games under Klinsman, the USMNT was able to double their goal tally in only the 41st minute on a goal from Clint Dempsey.

Welcome to the fourth and final installment of our four part series recapping the Chicago Fire's 2011 campaign. In this portion of the series we will focus on the strikers. The Fire finished the season with a completely different look up front than they started with, and by the time it was all said and done, they had a legitimate golden boot candidate. A season that started with a duo up front from Uruguay ended with another pair of countrymen, only this time it was a Ghanaian duo that helped power the Fire attack down the stretch. Click below to read the recap of Dominic Oduro, Patrick Nyarko, Diego Chaves, Christian Nazarit and Orr Barouch.

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